Improvement in automatic fruit-driers



zsheets-sheet 2.

J. H., A. Q. & A. J. REYNOLDS.

AUTOMATIC FRUIT-DRIEP..

Patented Feb.27, 1877.

N. PETERS. PHDTO-LITHOGRFMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES JOHN H. REYNOLDS, ASA Q. REYNOLDS, AND ANDREW J. REYNOLDS,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC: FRUIT-Daleks.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,905, dated February27, 1877; application iiled February 16, 1877.

To all 'whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN H. REYNOLDS, Ask Q. REYNOLDS, and ANDREW J.REY- NOLDS, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticFruit-Driers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a partial section and elevation of a machine embodying ourimprovements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lower portion thereof. Fig. 3is an axial section, showing the means employed for elevating thefruittrays. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, showing the location of thefan-wheel in the smoke-stack.

Like letters of reference in all the figures indicate correspondingparts.

Our improvements relate to that class of fruit-driers wherein artificialheat is employed to complete the process of drying, and the inventionconsists in certain combinations and arrangements of parts, all of whichwill be hereinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims.`

A is a cylinder or chamber, inv which the fruit-trays B B, 8vo., arelocated, and G is a fire-box, from which the necessary artificial heatis derived, and which may he of any approved form or construction. lnthe illustration chosen the smoke-pipe D passes rearward through thehot-air chamber E, and thence upward a sufiicient height to aord therequisite draft. The top of the air-chamber E is provided with acircular opening, J, surrounded by the cylinder A, through which thecurrents of heated air pass to their exitopenings in the top of saidcylinder. A suitable step or gudgeon, R, in the base of the air-chamber,receives a pivot, V, upon which the cylinder A is supported through themedium of the arms U U, or their equivalents; and over the cylinder afan or wind-wheel, L, is placed, being so connected with saidcylinderthat the two shall revolve together.

When the fire is burning, the heated air passes up through the interiorcylinder, carrymgthe moisture from the fruit with it, and

impinges upon the blades of the fan-wheel, causing it to revolve, andthrough it the cylinder and its contained trays. This revolution of thecylinder and its trays exposes the fruit to the passing air in a verythorough manner, and thus accomplishes the drying more effectively andevenly than is done in other styles of driers.

The machine being self-operating recommends itselfl over those revolvingdriers heretofore constructed, not only on account of its extremesimplicity and cheapness, in consequence ot' dispensing with therevolving machinery, but also for the reason that its motion isautomatically regulated. If the currents of heated air be very rapid andstrong the revolutions ol' the cylinder will be proportionatelynumerous, and thus the fruit will be carried into contact with the dryair in such a manner as to charge it all with moisture, permitting noneto pass off without doing itsrequired work. If the currents be feeble,the correspondingly slow motion of the trays compels the fruit thereonto remain a longer time in contact with the heated air; and from theseconsiderations it is obvious that the most economical consumption offuel is attained.

Over the mouth of the air-chamber is placed a delecting-plate, L2, whichserves to force the ingoing currents of air toward the Walls of thecylinder, and thus secure more uniform distribution of air among thefruit. The edges of this plate are formed something like a fanwheel, inorder that all the force of the cur'- rent of air may be utilized toturn the cylinder, said plate being attached to or connected with saidcylinder. The smoke-pipe outside the air-chamber is enlarged, as at D',to form a casing for the wheel W, which is revolved by the ascendingsmoke, and the shaft of this wheel carries a pinion, which meshes into arack, r, formed in or attached to the lower portion oi' the cylinder A.A revolution of the wheel W, it is evident, will cause the correspondingrevolution ot' the cylinder. As an adjunct to the wheel L this wheel Wassists greatly in keeping the fruit-trays in motion, and it may beomitted in the lighter and more easily-operated drers if so desired. Thepivot V is made hollow to receive the standard a, which carries thetray-bed H and serves to elevate the trays. This standard is elevated 0rdepressed by means of an ordinary footlever, I, projecting through asuitable slot in the cylinder. 1t (the lever I) may be replaced byapinion engaging with a rack upon the standard, and capable oi' beingoperated from without by simply turning a hand wheel or crank.

The footleveris illustrated as being located within an exterior casing(to be hereafter de scribed) but it is our intention, if it be founddesirable, to arrange this lever, or its equivalent, so that it may beoperated from Without this exterior casing. This may be readilyaccomplished by so hanging the lever that it may be dropped down andproject through a suitable slot in the exterior casing after therevolving cylinder is brought to the proper position, and incase therack and pinion above mentioned be adopted a removable wrench may beapplied to operate the same under like conditions or position ot' thecylinder A. The trays with their fruit are inserted through a door, G,and rested upon the tray-bed H. When the fruit is sufficiently dried inthis position the tray is elevated by operating the standard a, and iscaught and sustained by the springs b b. When the cylinder above thesprings is full, and the process of drying car ried sufficiently far,the trays are removed through a suitable door or opening, d, at tcp.Under ordinary circumstances the drier is made to operate continuouslyby inserting a fresh tray as soon as one is removed from above.

The fruit-trays have foraminated bottoms to permit the air to passthrough, and, in order that one may rest upon the other without touchingthefruit, are each provided with righ tangled cross division plates orbraces g g, upon the top of which the bottom ofthe tray above may rest.These braces serve to give the requisite rigidity and strength to thetrays, which, from the arrangement shown, are compelled to support aconsiderable weight, and, also, while the trays are in motion, to forcethe currents of' air to take a circular direction, thus causing a moreeven distribution of said currents through the drier,and in consequencea more thorough and complete drying of the fruit. Heretofore it has beenfound diicult to prevent the ascending heated air from following eertainchannels opened by the rapidly-drying fruit, which usually occurs at ornear the een ter of the trays, leaving the outer portions eomparativelyuncured. With these division-plates in the revolving trays they (thetrays) may be made of any desirable form or size, and the diilcultyalluded to completely avoided.

The vertical axis of the cylinder may be sustained above in any suitableway.

As shown in the drawings, it is carried by a box, w, located in thecross-bars N N, which are removably secured to the standards M M M,three in number, rising from the top of the air-chamber. Thisarrangement ofthe standards exposes one-half ot' the revolving cylinderfree from interference by a standard or post, so that the trays, whichare nearly equal in diameter to the cylinder, may be easily andconveniently inserted or removed.

At O 0 we have shown a slide-fastening adapted to connect the cross-barsN N to the standards M M in such a manner that they can be easilyseparated, when desirable, for shipping or packing and for repairs.

The blades ot' the fan-wheel L are pivoted, as clearly indicated, sothat they may be operated by the person in charge ot the drier, and thusthe speed of the cylinder brought under perfect control. A suitablebrake may be applied to arrest its motion when necessary to insert orremove a tray, or the same thing may be accomplished by simply turningthe blades of the fan to a vertical or horizontal position.

The inlet of fresh air is controlled by a dampered opening, (one ormore,) conveniently located' in the side of the air-chamber, as at F F,Fig. 4; and the openings through which the t-rays are` inserted andremoved may, if found desirable, be closed by suitablyarranged doors.

The exterior casn g hereinbefore alluded to is represented at K, and isthere shown as resting upon the top of the air-chamber. It is providedwith openingsv corresponding to d and G in the revolving cylinder,through which the trays are removed and inserted. Its oiiee is to coninethe heat about the revolving cylinder, preventing its radiation, andthus more eectually utilize the heat from the furnace or fre-box. It maybe made of wood or metal, and should be capable of being easily removed,for which purpose it may be elevated by suitably-arranged tackle orother contrivance, or may be constructed in hinged or jointed sections.

We are aware that a fruit-drier has heretofore been caused to revolve bymeans of weights, springs, &c.; and we are also aware that fruit-trayshave been elevated successively from bottom to top of the drier byvarious contrivances. To these particular features we desire itunderstood that we lay no claim; but,

Having now fully described our invention, what we do claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A fruit-drying cylinder located above and in combination with anair-heating chamber, and caused to revolve by the heated-air currents,substantially as set forth. 2. The standard a, carrying the tray-bed,and adapted to be operated by means substantially as described, incombination with the hollow pivot V, which supports the revolvingcylinder, as set forth.

3. 1n a fruit-drier, the combination, with the standards M M, of theremovable crosspieces N N, adapted to sustain the vertical axis of therevolving cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a revolving fruit-drying tray provided with a foraminated bottom,the cross-plates g g, serving to deect the ascending currents of heatedair, in the manner and for the purposes explained.

5. In combination with a revolving fruitdrier, carrying a series oftrays, as described, and provided at or near its lower portion with arack or series of teeth, a fan-wheel, located in the smoke-pipe thereof,and having a piuion upon its projecting shaft, for the purpose ofengaging with said rack or teeth, the whole being arranged to operatesubstantially as shown and described.

6. In combination with a revolving fruitdrier, a fan-wheel located abovethe same, and provided with adjustable fans, by opening or closing whichthe motion of the drier may be arrested or regulated, as hereinbeforedescribed, and for the purposes explained ln witness whereof we havehereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J. H. REYNOLDS. ASA Q. REYNOLDS. A. J. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

PHILIP A. EARL, WALTER S. ELLIS.

